Unorthodox Teaching
by snowberrii
Summary: Rukia Kuchiki needs a new home school teacher in History ASAP. Best candidate? The eligible and brilliant Ichigo Kurosaki. But with the undeniable pull they feel towards each other, will a new kind of relationship – albeit forbidden – blossom between them? IchiRuki. AU.
1. Prologue

**EDIT (as of 04/09/13): This chapter has been changed as the Prologue. No major edits.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Tite Kubo rightfully owns it.**

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**Unorthodox Teaching**

**Prologue**

"This is unacceptable," the man behind the expensive mahogany desk said. His gray eyes were cold, emanating pure authority albeit impassive. As he threw the neat folder onto the desk without so much as giving it a second glance, he looked up at the glasses-wearing woman in front of him with an unreadable expression.

The woman squeaked in surprise. Her whole body was trembling. "I-I'm sorry, sir. I know my contract states I have to serve for another year. But I… I cannot endure it any longer. Please forgive me, sir."

"Ms. Ise," Byakuya said calmly. "I understand where you are coming from." He pursed his lips ever-so-lightly not even Ms. Ise was able to see it. "But I do not tolerate breeching of contract."

"But sir!" Ms. Ise broke down as she clutched her hand to her chest. "I cannot just stand by and watch that husband of mine flirt while I busy myself at work. I have to keep an eye on him this time! I am forever grateful for your kindness. But I assure you, I'll pay the due and even double of my contract before the end of this year. It's what the contract says, if ever I untimely resign."

Byakuya pressed his finger pads to his temple and massaged them heavily. He was already stressed with work. He didn't need another problem to pressure himself with. But then again, this wasn't just _trivial _matter—this concerned his sister's future and well-being. "Is my sister already aware of this?"

Ms. Ise nodded. "Yes, sir. I've already informed her of my resignation beforehand."

"What did she say?"

"Uh…" Ms. Ise trailed off, her cheeks burning hot pink as heat flowed on her cheeks. "She said… _g-good luck_." _'And I'll miss you, too.' _She was tempted to add.

Byakuya closed his eyes. "I see." He took the folder from the desk and scanned it one last time before reaching for his fountain pen and signing the papers inside it confirming his approval of Ms. Ise's resignation. Once finished, he closed the folder and handed it to Ms. Ise who took it gratefully. "Tomorrow, come back and ask my secretary for your last pay check. She will inform you of the termination process of the contract. You need not pay for it."

"B-But sir!"

Byakuya cut her off. "I need not repeat myself, Ms. Ise. You may leave if you do not have any more concerns."

Ms. Ise's wide eyes slowly regained their normal size as she bowed down and held the folder with shaking hands. "T-Thank you, sir! Thank you!" She looked at her _ex_-boss one last time before scurrying out of the spacious office.

Alone, Byakuya swiveled from his posh cushioned chair and faced the glass wall over-looking the entire city of Tokyo. Furrowing his brows, he took his phone from his coat's pocket and dialed his assistant's number. It only took him two rings before the said man from the other line answered.

"_Sir, what may I do for you?"_ a gruff voice said on the other line, sounding like he had just been wakened up from a deep slumber.

"Renji," Byakuya started, flickering his gaze to the setting sun for a second before lowering them downwards to the bustling city below. "I need you to look for another tutor. Rukia's instructor in History just resigned a little while ago. I need a list of preferable candidates as soon as possible."

There was a pause as Renji fumbled for the right words. _"Uh, please do not get me wrong, sir. But I do not think I'm the right person for this. I… I'm not a savant myself." _

"Just do it," Byakuya replied solemnly, his words denotating finality. With that, he hung up not giving his assistant enough time to respond. "And pick them _right_," he added to himself, his eyes closing as he let the orange sunrays engulf him. Already, the sky was turning darker and the stars were starting to appear on the horizons above. Byakuya absentmindedly wondered if his sister would get along well with her supposed new teacher just like she did with Ms. Ise.

He just hoped she would.

-xXx-

Rukia mulled quietly to herself. It had been five days since she last saw Ms. Ise. She had to admit, she already missed the woman terribly. Albeit strict, Ms. Ise was very kind and caring. She was the closest to a friend Rukia ever had, and she would forever be grateful to the woman for imparting her knowledge even beyond the scope of History. She was like a sister to Rukia—she was her closest instructor anyways. Most of her home school teachers were too rigid, speaking to her only in class or whenever necessary.

Rukia sighed. Combing the last strands of her hair, she placed the delicate brush on top of her dresser. Ms. Ise would usually comb her hair and tell her how soft it felt against her hands. Ah, how she missed the woman. The brush was a gift from her brother, the one he had given her on her 10th birthday. It was from France, made from exquisite ivory with sophisticated diamonds. Standing, she straightened the wrinkles on her dress before exiting out of her room.

Nii-sama had asked for her presence in his study. On the way she had spotted Renji, who had hinted his boss had already chosen a new History teacher for her to replace Ms. Ise with.

Rukia silently walked to her brother's study. She knocked and announced her presence, his stony voice commanding her to come inside. She strutted in the middle of the spacious office, looking around the gigantic bookcases that looked even bigger than those she had seen in libraries. She'd never been to a public library before, but she had seen what most looked like in books. She even had her own study area beside her bedroom where her lessons were being held. Upon glancing at her brother's form, she immediately noticed the figure of the unfamiliar man sitting stiffly on one of the chairs in front of his table. He had vibrant orange hair that shone even brighter against the sunlight. Ugh, who would dye their hair that color?

"You may sit, Rukia," Byakuya said calmly. As soon as he had said those words, Rukia sat on the chair across the orange-haired man who was frowning so hard she thought his hair would actually burst into flames. Byakuya then handed her a folder which held a number of files. It contained the curriculum vitae of the man sitting across from her.

"Uh… I'm afraid I may need more enlightenment, nii-sama," she said impassively, her voice almost identical to her brother's. But she already understood the files—she just had to hear it from her nii-sama for confirmation.

Byakuya gestured to the orange-haired man with his left hand. "Rukia. I want you to meet Mr. Ichigo Kurosaki, your new History professor."

Rukia glanced at Mr. Kurosaki and nodded briefly. "Um, I'm Rukia Kuchiki." She offered her hand which the teacher shook. She noticed how large his hand was compared to her own. His eyes were a vivid color of chocolate amber, which burned with fervor and intensity. "I hope we get along very well."

Mr. Kurosaki cleared his throat. "Indeed. Same here, Ms. Kuchiki."

After the initial greetings and queries, Byakuya then asked her to accompany Mr. Kurosaki to her study area to familiarize him with the surroundings. Rukia's eyes slightly widened as Mr. Kurosaki stood in his full height. She guessed he was almost as tall as nii-sama.

The walk was awfully uncomfortable because neither party was speaking. Rukia didn't have anything to say, and she guessed Mr. Kurosaki had none, too.

"Um, Mr. Kurosaki," she tried, hoping to start a meaningful conversation. "Have you already been informed of our schedule?"

"Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 1, right?" he asked. Rukia nodded. "And please, just call me Ichigo."

Rukia's cheeks burned pink from embarrassment. "That is just unacceptable, Mr. Kurosaki. You are my professor and thus I have to give you the utmost respect-"

Mr. Kurosaki rolled his eyes. "Just drop it off, alright. I'm not fond of formalities myself. Fine, you can call me whichever may suite your taste."

_Idiot! _Rukia was very tempted to retort. This man was just downright… downright disrespectful! Was her brother even aware of how uncouth this man is? She was about to fire back at him when he stopped in his tracks and scratched his head.

"Rukia." Again, how disrespectful. Where were the proper name suffixes? They were not even close to begin with. "Can you accompany me on the way outside, too? I'll get lost in here! This place is like a _freaking _labyrinth!"

Rukia mentally rolled her eyes. "I'd _love _to," she hissed through gritted teeth. Giving her new history teacher one last glare, she walked ahead of him and left him to catch up with her.

And because of his long legs, he did not need a lot of effort.

Damn. Already, she hated him.

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**Hey! There's an upcoming national board exam I have to take this June. I know I shouldn't publish anything and just resume studying but… I can't help it. I need to have an outlet for everything that I've been through. Gah! After countless moments of sleepless nights and stress-filled days, I'm graduating! Finally! *cries***

**Also, my writing is starting to get rusty. I wanted to pull my eye sockets out for how awful this chapter had turned out. I need to practice again! Lol.**

**So yeah, please wish me luck.**

**And of course, do not forget to leave a review. It would really help me a lot. Thanks.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Tite Kubo rightfully owns it.**

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**Unorthodox Teaching**

**Chapter 1**

Rukia tried not to shudder as she felt an intense glare seeping through her back. The stare was so fiery she thought it might actually create a hole on her dress and burn her skin. Mentally shaking her head—since she could not do it physically due to the book suspended atop her head—she took in a deep breath and resumed mobilizing her limbs.

Left foot. Right foot. Left foot. Right foo—

"You're doing it again wrong, Ms. Kuchiki!" Ms. Soi Fon said from behind her for the umpteenth time this morning. Rukia fought not to roll her eyes as the said woman walked around her and inspected her from top to bottom. "We've been doing this since you were a child. How come you still cannot do it properly and lady-like?" Ms. Soi Fon hissed through gritted teeth, crossing her arms across her small chest and baring her teeth. Oh, so much for _lady-like. _Her home room teacher in Proper Conduct and Etiquette/ Japanese Traditions was wearing a magenta ankle-length dress that flowed at the bottom end but hugged her waist tightly. She looked like one of those old witches in movies who adored inflicting pain upon the beautiful protagonist.

Rukia remained her composure as she took the book and held it in her hands. "I'm sorry, Ms. Soi Fon. I am doing my best." She glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room and felt her inner self jumping with glee as the clock indicated it was past Ms. Soi Fon's scheduled time. "But I'm afraid we have to cut our session short this morning. Your time has ended, Ma'am." She watched as Ms. Soi Fon's face contorted from that of a surprise and into a frown.

"Such conduct! Fine! But the next time I won't be so nice. After we get through with the scheduled etiquettes I want you to prepare for another lesson in Ikebana. I want you to make a flower arrangement and have it sent to Kuchiki-sama afterwards." Ms. Soi Fon watched with obvious delight as Rukia's eyes widened. She gave the petite girl one last smirk before turning around and leaving the room, her high heels clicking against the wooden floorboard of the study area.

Rukia hung her head in defeat. Her arms lay flaccid on her sides. It's not like she was bad at doing flower arrangements. It was just… she had to give it to her brother—to Byakuya Kuchiki, the man whom she felt didn't know she even exist. It was as if he was purposely ignoring her presence. Either way, Rukia knew how hard it was to please him especially with his keen eyes and high set of standards. She had to really exert a lot of effort if she wanted him to finally notice her. She'd been doing it for years already and this wasn't the time to give up.

As determination gave her a mindset, she promised she would someday succeed and make him proud. Smiling ruefully, she glanced at the window and stared as the greens and various colors from different blooms in the garden shone healthily against the sunlight. Their colors were much more vibrant this spring time. And then it hit her.

Now she knew what she had to do.

Smiling with more energy, she hurried to the dining room to have a much-needed lunch. She would need a lot of energy if she wanted to succeed this time.

The staff had already prepared her lunch. They would prepare all the courses and have them placed in the table beforehand. Unlike when she was alone though, whenever her brother was present, they would bring them using silver carts one-by-one. But she preferred it this way, since she disliked how that specific method would take a lot of precious time.

As Rukia sat on the side, she placed the napkin on her lap and filled her bowl with some soup. As she was doing so, a maid rushed to her side and offered to help her. "Thank you, Kiyone-san. I can do it myself." She tasted the soup and smiled up at the maid who blushed in return. "Tell your brother his cooking is still the best."

The girl named Kiyone nodded vigorously and saluted. "Aye, Ma'am Kuchiki! Sentaro and I are doing our best in order to serve you and Master Kuchiki. But I'm still better than him at everything except for cooking. Worry not, Ms. Rukia. We will continue serving this household within the best of our abilities!"

Rukia smiled. "Alright. Since Sentaro-san is not here, then I will affirm with you this time. Thank you again, Kiyone-san." She winked.

"Oh no, Ms. Rukia!" a male voice said abruptly. Kiyone squeaked and watched as her brother Sentaro waltzed in through the dining room with his toque still on. "I am the best, and Ms. Rukia likes me better than you! Of course she likes me better, because I cook the best food in town and make her and her stomach full and happy! She needs my food the most especially after one of her torture sessions with Ms. Soi Fon!"

Kiyone was turning redder and redder by the second as she clenched her fists on her sides. Rukia watched amused as the siblings continued their bicker like their Lady wasn't in the same room as theirs. They were only like this whenever she was around. She was also very open with these two, and considered them her friends along with Ms. Ise.

This was the company she craved—the kind she had been wanting for her and her brother to have. The sides of her lips slowly collapsed as she realized it was almost close to impossible.

But it wouldn't hurt to keep on trying, right?

As much as she craved this jovial atmosphere, it still hurt a bit. Turning, she averted her eyes and resumed her eating. The duo sensed the sudden change in her mood and immediately stopped their bantering.

"Is there something wrong, Ms. Rukia?" Kiyone asked worriedly as she peered at Rukia with inquisitive eyes. Sentaro did the same, both now looking concerned.

"I'm fine." Rukia forced a smile. "Uh, do you have any idea where I can get a basket?"

"You can use the spare bread baskets in the kitchen," Sentaro offered as he adjusted the toque on his head. Kiyone, beside him, was silently fuming because her brother once again had made their Lady happy by offering his assistance.

"Thank you, Sentaro-san. I'll get them after I'm finished with my meal." And because Rukia knew Kiyone wouldn't want to be left defeated, she turned to the still fuming girl and said, "And you can come with me to the gardens later, Kiyone-san. I'll need your help with something."

At this, Kiyone grinned and beamed. The siblings smiled and left to give Rukia some needed space so she could continue her meal.

Alone, Rukia could only swirl the silver spoon in her bowl as her mind drifted somewhere else.

-xXx-

"So this is your personal space, huh?" Ichigo whispered to himself as his amber eyes gazed at the long corridor in the 2nd floor of the west wing of the household. This certain place was very silent, with little to no servants lurking around. He had already noticed before, when he was called for his first job interview as Rukia's teacher in history. He had been here few times, since he was required to be interviewed more than once. It was Byakuya who had always interrogated him, always guarded by his right-hand man Renji Abarai.

But this was the first time he was given the chance to truly appreciate the surroundings. This area was specifically told to him by Byakuya that was mostly off-limits to everyone except for a few selected servants who were in-charge of maintaining the area. Even Rukia's tutors were not allowed to dwell in this place except when they were called in Byakuya's office. He guessed even his little sister had barely stepped foot in here. So in short, this whole section of the house belonged to Byakuya.

The hallway was much like the other wing in the household. It was long, with wooden floors, plant decorations, and lights varying from stand lamp, ceiling and wall-mounted light. This area had no wall paintings—only the occasional scrolls with calligraphies that could only be made by masters of the art. The house had a mixed western-eastern interior that gave it a modernized-traditional look. It was two-storey high, the first floor mostly accommodated with functional rooms while the second floor had the bedrooms and other personal areas.

The dim lights gave the hallway a mysterious feel to it. Ichigo felt mesmerized by it. He wanted to know what secrets lie beyond it, and what secrets _the _Byakuya Kuchiki hides in it. As he was about to step forward though and continue his quest, a sudden noise brought him out of his reverie. Turning to the source of the voice, he was met with very curious eyes of a white-haired man whose face was carved into gentle perfection.

He blinked, unable to perceive he was _caught _staring into something _prohibited._

"Ah, and who might you be, young man?" Ichigo blinked again, feeling stupid all of a sudden. "Oh. Sorry for the rudeness." The gentle man extended his hand and smiled. "I am Jushiro Ukitake, a family friend of the Kuchiki's."

Recovering from the initial shock, Ichigo shook the man's hand in return and nodded. "I am Ichigo Kurosaki, sir. I am Rukia's new homeroom history teacher."

Jushiro coughed a bit, covering his mouth with a white handkerchief. "If so, what are you doing in this part of the household anyways, Kurosaki-san?"

Ichigo felt his heart skip a beat. How could he explain this to Ukitake-san? He was not supposed to be here! Byakuya had stated it as clear as a raindrop. No one should be in the 2nd floor of the west wing unless necessary. Thinking quickly, the history teacher let out an uncomfortable laugh and scratched the back of his head to ease some of the tension. "Uh… it's actually my first day of work. I'm still kind of… lost." A part of it was still true anyway.

"Oh." Jushiro chuckled lightly, nodding his head as if affirming the teacher's statement. "I can't possibly blame you, young man. This place is quite… vast. If I am not much of a hindrance, can I show you the way then? I would like to help."

"U-Uh… I would be very grateful, sir. Thank you." Ichigo fumbled.

"Please do not call me sir. You can call me Ukitake."

This man was very nice, Ichigo noted. Unlike Byakuya Kuchiki, Ukitake was very kind. He was left wondering how this kind of man could possibly be friends with the ice-prince Byakuya. Even on the first day, Ichigo had already known how much of an impassive man Byakuya Kuchiki was. His characteristics were what helped him to the top of the business tycoons' list.

"So where do you say you're going again, Kurosaki-san?" He heard Ukitake-san say from behind him.

"To Rukia's study area."

Ichigo and Jushiro walked side-by-side as they crossed the middle of the house towards the eastern wing. The walk was silent, with occasional gasps and coughs from the man beside him. Ichigo assumed Ukitake-san had a respiratory problem, if these symptoms were not indicative enough. The history teacher kept silent, opting to shut his mouth because he wasn't a talkative-type in the first place.

"We're close," Jushiro said proudly, but coughing midway as he held onto the wall for support. Ichigo immediately rushed to his side. "I'm fine, Kurosaki-san." His back straightened as he stood up in full height. "I do not think Byakuya is here. I shall take my leave. Please inform Rukia I've been here. I still have my appointment with my doctor at 2." He pointed to a random door with a bunny decoration hanging on it. The bunny had glasses and was holding a stick pointing to a sign where the words 'STUDY AREA' were written across it. Ichigo had already seen it when Rukia showed him the way here before. He had even rolled his eyes and almost commented how horrible it looked like against the richness of the oak door when Rukia suddenly boasted it was her own artwork. Beside it was another door with the same-looking bunny decoration, which he guessed was his student's bedroom.

He didn't want to be on her bad side.

…But only for as long as he could tolerate it, though.

Well, it was still kind of cute. But not much, so he didn't have to tell her that.

"That's her study area," Ukitake said. "I may not be able to accompany you anymore. Time is running."

"It's alright, Ukitake-san. Thank you for your help. Do you want me to accompany you back downstairs? I can still find my way up here," he offered nicely, fearing for the health of this fragile-looking man.

Jushiro shook his head. "No. I can do it myself. Thank you, Kurosaki-san. Just tell Rukia, alright?"

Ichigo nodded. And with that, he watched as the man sauntered his way towards the spiral staircase until he was out of sight.

It was time for work.

-xXx-

Rukia impatiently placed her cheek on the palm of her hand as she gazed out the window. Damn that new teacher, Mr. Kurosaki, being late on his first day of lecture. Was he trying to give a bad impression on his first day? How come that man became a teacher?! And how come her brother had chosen him?! OK. So his credentials were mind-blowing—at the age of 25 he was already a multiple degree holder. So what if he was smart? It didn't mean he had the right to be late. It was already 30 minutes past his starting time. Glancing at the clock, she frowned as it showed Mr. Kurosaki was now 33 minutes late.

She wasn't feeling quite well. She had the sudden idea to collect various flowers and try ikebana-s of some sort earlier that afternoon, but all her efforts had failed. She started plucking out flowers—discretely, of course (while hiding from the gardener)—with Kiyone, but she soon found out she could not pick the right set of flowers that would impress her brother the most. Defeated, the both of them had returned inside feeling totally lost and frustrated.

Now here she was, waiting for the lazy orange-haired teacher to come inside. She glanced again at the clock and scowled harder as it read 1:35. "That's it!" She stood up, ready to bolt towards the door when it suddenly opened and the man who she was expecting stepped inside. "Thank goodness," she said mentally, rolling her eyes as the said man let out a string of curses when the door caught his foot.

Serves him right. Hmp.

Mr. Kurosaki looked up and scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry I'm late. Um, Ukitake-san told me to say hi to you. He just left for a doctor's appointment. I've seen him on my way here." He sat on the chair across Rukia and she sat back as well, still looking at him with burning eyes. Her eyes softened a bit as she remembered the kind man with long white hair. Ukitake-san was like her father-figure. Why did he not come here if his intention was to visit? Was he really that sick? She should see him then.

"Uh… So how do we start?"

Rukia raised an eyebrow. "You're the teacher," she said through gritted teeth. "Maybe you can start by introducing yourself."

"You sound pissed. Whatever did I do wrong?" Mr. Kurosaki asked heatedly as he leaned on the chair, his wide arms crossing against his chest.

_Everything about you is wrong! _Rukia was tempted to say. Even his formal tie and suit didn't look good with his flaming orange hair.

"Nothing." Rukia tilted her head to the side and furrowed her brows. She opted to avert her eyes and instead looked out the windows towards the vast garden outside.

She heard him growl. "Alright. I'm Ichigo Kurosaki. I'm 25. I'm a teacher with multiple degrees. I've graduated from high school when I was 17, had taken—

"I knew that already!" Rukia turned around and hissed.

"Then why do you insist I introduce myself?" He glared back. "Introduce yourself to your teacher then."

Rukia's cheeks heated. This man… This man was downright infuriating! And to top it off, it's not like she had a lot to tell about herself. "I'm Rukia Kuchiki. I'm 17. That's all you need to know. And I'm sure my brother has already told you these facts. I am very nice to people, except for a selected few who are _not_ very likeable to me."She gave emphasis to the word 'not', tilting her chin and sending him a glare enough to freeze the Pacific Ocean.

Mr. Kurosaki internally shivered at her ice-cold gaze. Now he could quite see the resemblance between this woman and her brother. "I don't care. I'm just here for work." He placed his briefcase on the table and opened it, shuffling through different books and sheets. He took a few papers and placed it in front of Rukia and watched as her eyebrows rose.

"What's this?"

Mr. Kurosaki breathed exasperatedly and pointed a long finger on the paper. "This is called a pre-test, unless you've never heard of it. I want to know what you've already learned in history. This is general history subdivided into two parts. First part is the Japanese history while the second part is the World history." He paused, took a deep breath, and looked into her eyes. "I'll give you 45 minutes to answer this. After checking we'll proceed with the lesson proper."

Rukia scanned her eyes on the paper, her eyebrows scrunching together as she continued to scrutinize the material. His suggestion didn't sound bad at all. Taking her pencil, she started scribbling her answers. The test had multiple choices, fill in the blanks, and even essay. It was a 100 item test, quite easy if she should say so.

It was totally quiet, the only sound coming from the ticking of the grandfather clock and the friction of Rukia's pen as it scratched against the paper. Rukia glimpsed at from her eyelashes and felt her cheeks heat up as she realized he was looking back at her. Murmuring incoherent words, the raven haired student resumed answering.

Suddenly, she heard him speak. "What's this?"

"Huh?" She followed his line of gaze. He was looking at the basket of withering flowers carelessly placed on the ground. "Flowers. What else can they be?"

"I mean," Mr. Kurosaki coughed awkwardly. "What are they for?"

"Nothing that concerns you," she murmured.

"What's that, young miss? Did you just insult your teacher?"

This man was truly pushing her to her limits! "Alright, alright! It's for my _Ikebana_ project. There, are you satisfied?" Rukia tried not to scream as she said this. She could feel hot air steaming from her nose and her ears. She was not supposed to disrespect any of her teachers… but this… this man… he deserved every bit of it! She was already frustrated and he was just adding fuel to it!

She gazed hotly at him, him sending her an equal glare of his own. Neither had intention to back down. Mr. Kurosaki was the first to break his gaze, making Rukia jump internally at how she could make him succumb to her. But her little victory cut short when she heard him chuckle lightly.

"You're not good at it, I bet."

"W-What?" she stuttered, his words sinking inside her brain and making her coherent thinking halt abruptly. "I'm good at it, I tell you!" She was fuming now, her fists curling on her paper and making the sides of it crumple in her hold.

It looked like he was enjoying every bit of it. Rukia had the sudden urge to leap on her chair and strangle his neck. Then she would firmly press her tiny fingers on his carotid to impede his circulation and watch sinisterly as he fought for his life. She would then hide his body in the cabinet and let it rot there.

"Hn. Since you are my student, I would like to give you my help. Why don't I give you tips so you can improve your flower arrangement?"

"I don't need your help!" Rukia blurted out before she could stop herself. "And please, don't boost your ego. It's not your job to teach me that. Your only job is to teach me history."

"For a short woman, you sure have a short temper." Mr. Kurosaki said simply.

Rukia was seeing red. "Hey! You're insulting me!"

"Stop insulting me then," Mr. Kurosaki retorted. "How about this? If you keep your mouth shut and do your work diligently, I might as well help you with that Ikebana project. If you get a grade of 90% and higher, then I will give you tips on how to make a _proper _flower arrangement. You need help, and I'm giving it to you. The least you could do is be thankful about it."

Rukia was about to retort back when she suddenly considered his words. It wasn't that bad actually. He was a history teacher—she was sure he had quite the knowledge about traditions. If she could get him to help her, she'd benefit from it. Really, she didn't see anything bad about it, except for the smug look on Mr. Kurosaki's face as he watched her intently.

"Fine!" she announced in defeat, her eyes darting back to her paper and her fingers itching to start answering.

"Alright then." Mr. Kurosaki leaned on his chair contentedly and closed his eyes. He glanced at the clock. "You have 30 minutes left."

Rukia jolted. "What? How am I supposed to finish this with that little time? We were talking earlier. That's not counted."

Mr. Kurosaki just looked at her from the corner of his eyes, his expression bored. "Do your best then." He disregarded her fiery look by picking one of his Shakespeare's books _'The Taming of the Shrew'_. He flipped open to the page he had last read and continued his reading.

Rukia could only widen her eyes as all the veins in her head throbbed. Does this man even know what maturity is? How could he act so immature in front of his own employer? So she wasn't his employer technically, but he was still working _for_ her. She could come to her brother and tell him how much of a useless teacher Mr. Kurosaki is and convince him to fire him.

But somehow…

… a part of Rukia didn't want to.

It felt like she was with a normal person—someone who didn't see her for her money and wealth. He was treating her as if she was a commoner like everybody. He was making her feel things she hadn't felt before, things she supposed she was not allowed to feel in this household. Like _freedom. _Rukia didn't know how to react to it. But if she would choose between this type of treatment or Ms. Soi Fon's, she'd rather choose this. It felt like… Kiyone's and Sentaro's funny bickering and her and Ms. Ise's friendly relationship.

She liked it.

Shaking her head, Rukia resumed answering, her thoughts getting messed up as she glanced at Mr. Kurosaki one last time.

Such _petty _emotions.

Nii-sama would surely disapprove.

-xXx-

"Finished!" Rukia proudly stated, jutting her paper and handing it to Mr. Kurosaki. She glanced at the clock and felt her insides jump as it showed she still had a few more minutes to spare.

Mr. Kurosaki placed his book back on the table and took the paper from Rukia's outstretched hands. She was smiling wildly, her pearly white teeth glowing as her eyes twinkled in excitement. Why was she so eager to make a good ikebana?

He was in the middle of his checking when he glanced back at Rukia. She was grinning wildly and he was quite aware why she was doing so.

This woman was _intelligent._

She knew almost everything there was to know in Japanese and World History. What could he possibly teach her then? He felt like he wasn't needed in here anymore.

"Alright." Mr. Kurosaki showed her score. She would have jumped in glee if not for Ms. Soi Fon's voice that rang at the back of her mind saying _'lady-like'. _"You got 94 out of 100. Means you got a 94% in the test."

"So… about that offer you were saying?" Rukia smugly said, crossing her arms and sending Mr. Kurosaki a victorious glare.

He sighed, took the basket from the floor, and placed it on the table. "Look," he said seriously, plucking disconnected petals and showing it to her. "Ikebana means 'giving life to flowers.' It brings nature and humans together. It's not just about flashy flowers or decorations. It's also about life and how it is sustained. It gives emphasis to the other areas of the flowers like the stem or the branch. The lines, shapes, and forms are most important. Ikebana artists look at the _scalene triangle_ wholly; it's a part of the whole picture of the Ikebana."

Rukia frowned. "I knew that already. I thought you were going to give me some kind of mind-blowing tip." She shook her head. "And here I was thinking you might actually be of help."

But Ichigo continued unheeded. "Imagine this is the Earth." He plucked a flower in a small stem and held it in between his fingers. "Then this is the Moon." He plucked another one with a medium stem and made it stand behind the other one. "And this," he smoothly said while taking another flower in a long stem, "Is the Sun. They are all connected. They become useless when one disappears. The sun gives moon the light, and the light from the moon keeps the world bright at night. But if there is no Earth, then the Sun and the Moon would be just as useless. They all keep the _balance_ to maintain life." He looked at Rukia and handed her the flowers. She took it and twirled them around, her large violet eyes luminous against the light streaming through the window. "You don't need to show complicated or intricate designs. It's about how you understand the art and how those concepts are connected. It's about how the life in it came to be. If you sum it up, the arrangements will still be up to you. It's just the way of how you _interpret_ it that might change everything."

Rukia looked up from the flowers and nodded. Somehow, what he had said made sense. If she was going to give nii-sama flowers, then it didn't mean she had to make it complicated because it _felt _like she_ needed _to. Rather she had to design it the way she liked it, the way she interpreted what those flowers, lines, branches, leaves, and spaces meant. As she looked up at Mr. Kurosaki, she wondered what he was really like. He appeared immature at first, but his line of thinking was way years beyond her own. Her teachers were adults as well, but they didn't think this way. They only thought about pleasing the rich society while trying to cover-up their faults.

Mr. Kurosaki, however, was a different story.

Maybe it was a good thing he became her teacher.

Maybe, just maybe, they were really _destined _to meet.

Smiling a bit, Rukia plucked a long narrow leaf from the basket and added it to the little arrangement. "Tch. I already knew that."

Ichigo smirked as well. "So much for saying thank you,"

"Uh. If it's alright, can I ask where you where you get this knowledge from, Mr. Kurosaki?"

Mr. Kurosaki stiffened visibly. Rukia noticed how his whole body tensed and how his hand curled into a tight fist. Did she… ask something personal?

"From my mom. She _used _to do flower arrangements when I _was young_," he said quietly, his body slowly deflating as his muscles relaxed. "She _was_ the one who _told_ me that interpretation _before._"

"Oh," was the only thing Rukia could say. She tried not to dwell on the fact that he had referred to his mother in the past tense. Maybe she was far away, or worse…

"We still have a bit of time," Mr. Kurosaki said randomly, his eyes fixated on the clock. Rukia nodded dumbly and continued staring at him. "How about I help you with your other subjects? It doesn't look like you need help from history anyway. We can just start our official lessons tomorrow."

"It's fine. I like History."

"Alright." His mood was now better, the atmosphere between them lightening. "If you must insist."

* * *

**Quite a number of appearance from different people, huh?**

**Yay for IchiRuki interaction! **

**And wow, this chapter was quite long. I hope you were satisfied with the length. I also changed the last chap to 'Prologue'. This one is now the official first chapter of the story.**

**So anyhow, thank you very much for all the follows, faves, and reviews. These are my replies to these awesome people:**

**yagami rin: **Ah. I knew someone would ask that eventually. I just didn't think it would be this sooner lol. I already knew there were a lot of stories with the same 'plot' as this (as one might first think). But I tell you, this story is far different from those you've already read. As much as I want to tell you the plot of this story… I do not want to spoil you and the other readers. Thanks and I hope I'll see you again.

**xTwistedCupidx: **Thanks for taking interest! And I will gladly continue writing chapters for you and everyone who has taken a liking to this story so far.

**EmpressMinea: **Oh… How did you know? Lol. Anyways, nice to meet you. I promise I'll try to update within the best of my ability.

**Kuchiki-Hime: **Hey. Thanks for having an interest in my fic.

**NieveDrop:** Thanks for the encouragement! Only the picking of possible candidates had been assigned to Renji. It was still nii-sama who had the final decision anyway. And if not for the redhead, Ichigo wouldn't have been picked as one lol.

**Thanks again and I hope you guys continue reading and reviewing. **

**And I'm still reviewing for the exam… gah! My neurons are already complaining!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. Tite Kubo rightfully owns it.**

* * *

**Unorthodox Teaching**

**Chapter 2**

Rukia looked up at the man before her with silent contempt. Furrowing her brows, she gripped the shaft of her pen angrily. She took in a deep breath to calm her nerves down before looking back at the sheets of paper which contained her English/Literature exam. She was about to start answering again when the giant of a man in front of her snickered discretely.

"Oh why, Ms. Kuchiki, do you find my exam _beyond _the levelof your understanding?" the man said emotionally, placing his hand against his heart before sniffing and wiping away the fake tears with his embroidered handkerchief. "… And here I was thinking I've been a very good tutor. What will Kuchiki-sama say then? Oh heavens, please forgive me for I do not know what I will do anymore to _improve _this child!"

Rukia seriously wanted to leap from her chair and shred the man's head into tiny little pieces. She needed to cool herself or else she'd end up doing something reckless. _Only a few minutes left, _she reminded herself as she glanced at the grandfather clock. Groaning mentally, the small woman forced a fake smile in response to her professor. "As far as I can remember, translating French phrases into German hasn't been discussed yet, Mr. Omaeda." Narrowing her eyes, she gave him the deadliest Kuchiki glare she could muster. _And it's not even included in your syllabus, you moron! _She wanted to add but only kept it to herself.

Mr. Omaeda had a smug look on his face. "It's technically saying you do not know how to, Ms. Kuchiki. All you have to do is _admit_ it." Unaffected by her ominous glare, he smirked at the small woman before taking the set of exams and putting it back inside his briefcase. "You've _failed_ all my exams today. Do you want me to give you an advice, or do you want me to come to your brother straight and inform him how _brainless_ his little sister is?"

_You bastard! _Rukia was really tempted to kill him! All the warning bells inside her head were ringing. Why did he hate her so much? For all she knew she hadn't done anything wrong to him! She hated him as much as she hated Ms. Soi Fon and her other professors!

"What, Ms. Kuchiki? Cat got your tongue?" Mr. Omaeda mocked gleefully, leaning onto the table and tilting his head to the side. "You can't say anything? Afraid that your brother will send you out from his house? C'mon, say something! I know you want to!"

Rukia was about to stand from her chair and kill the living daylights out of him when he suddenly jumped from his own seat and grabbed her arm harshly.

"You know what? You don't deserve to be here, you _bitch_!" His eyes were wide and deadly as his grip on her hand tightened. Rukia felt her circulation halting. She cringed when he shouted even louder, droplets of his saliva coating her face. "You don't deserve all of these because you're just a freaking _lowlife_ who's taking _advantage_ of a great man!" He lifted his hand up and Rukia closed her eyes as she readied herself for the inevitable strike.

.

.

.

_You don't deserve all of these, Rukia. You don't…_

_._

_._

_._

But she never had the blow. All she felt was the air breezing past her as the grip on her hand suddenly loosened. Opening her eyes, she gasped in shock as she saw Mr. Omaeda being manhandled by Mr. Kurosaki. Mr. Omaeda's face was beet red as he struggled to break free from Mr. Kurosaki's iron grip. In return, the orange haired teacher twisted Mr. Omaeda's arms and pushed him back onto the ground with his knee.

"Mr. Kurosaki!" she shrieked. "What are you doing?"

But Mr. Kurosaki chose to ignore her. He looked down at the giant man below him with blazing amber eyes. "What the _fuck _do you think you're doing to her, you _monster?!" _Mr. Omaeda could only groan as his arms were stretched beyond their reach. "You're hurting a _fucking _woman! What kind of a _scoundrel_ are you?!"

"Mr. Kurosaki!" she tried again. "You're killing him!"

"If you want to hurt someone, then take someone who's big and disgusting as you!" Mr. Kurosaki freed the man's arms only to turn him around and punch him square in the face.

Rukia, seeing the killing intent in her History teacher's eyes, rushed forward and caught his fist in the air. She looked at him pleadingly. "Please stop it." Her heart was thumping harshly against her ribcage. The thought of blood being shed because of her was terrifying. Ichigo's trembling fist slackened as he freed the man and stood on his feet. He turned to Rukia and opened his mouth to say something only to feel the air in his lungs being knocked out when Mr. Omaeda tackled him and punched him in the stomach.

"NO!" Rukia yelled loudly. "STOP IT PLEASE! STOP IT!" Fear was evident in her eyes as she shook Mr. Omaeda by the shoulders and tried to push him off from the struggling orange head. Mr. Omaeda, oblivious to anything and anyone other than the history professor, pushed her away roughly. Quickly recovering, Rukia rushed back to stop him.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?!" a loud voice said as all three heads turned to the newcomer on the doorstep.

"Renji!" Rukia cried, relief flooding her system as the thought of someone helping them finally came to existence. Renji quickly pushed the giant teacher away from the beaten orange haired man.

"YOU!" he shouted pointing his finger at Mr. Omaeda, "AND YOU!" he pointed to Mr. Kurosaki, "COME TO THE OFFICE WITH ME NOW!" The said men glared at each other before stomping their way towards the exit. He then turned to Rukia and held her hands. "Are you okay, Rukia? Did they hurt you?"

Rukia sniffled. "No. Mr. Kurosaki was just trying to protect me." She looked at Renji with sad eyes. "Please make sure they're fine."

Renji nodded. "But you need to come with us, too. You are the witness. Are you okay with that?"

"Yes." She glanced at the door and saw her history teacher looking intently at them.

_Thank you, Mr. Kurosaki._

_Thank you._

-xXx-

"This. is. trouble," Renji said through gritted teeth while massaging his temples. He glanced at the petite girl beside him before glaring at the two tall men across them. Currently they were all waiting for the head of the house to come, as Renji had just informed him of what had occurred. He had already asked for a doctor to check upon the three earlier that day but Rukia refused to be examined stating she was fine.

Renji could see the fear in his friend's eyes. Although she was acting tough, Renji knew better than anyone else how hard it was for Rukia to take in all that had occurred. His hand was itching to take her much smaller hand in his and encase her in a warm embrace to protect her from everything. He was her friend and brother—he was supposed to protect her but he had failed to do so.

He felt like being drowned in the Arctic Ocean when he saw those two men fighting like ruffians and Rukia holding on for dear life. He couldn't even imagine what could have happened if he did not arrive there on time.

"Renji." He heard Rukia call beside him. He forced a grin as he ruffled her hair and patted her shoulder comfortingly. "Did nii-sama say anything?"

"We'll just have to wait for him, Rukia," he croaked, his voice sounding strained.

Rukia nodded and silence enveloped the office once again. Renji wished he could say something better to comfort his friend. Sighing, the red head could only hide his face from shame from what he had done—or rather, what he wasn't able to do.

It didn't take long before the wide doors opened and a man with raven hair, gray eyes, pale skin, and as tall as Renji, stepped inside and regarded each individual in the room with the simple narrowing of his eyes. He breezed past the four and sat on the majestic chair behind the desk, settling himself with such grace and confidence.

"Renji," his voice was silky smooth, but behind it was a deadly tone enough to bring chills down the red head's spine. "I came here as soon as I learned of what happened." He then turned to Mr. Marechiyo Omaeda and furrowed his eyebrows. "Tell me, is it true?"

Marechiyo jumped from his seat, his eyes darting to and fro as he fumbled for words. "A-Ah… I-I… Y-You're mistaken, M-Mr. Kuchiki. I-I did not do anything wrong. I was… I was just tutoring y-your little sister when this man just suddenly a-attacked me out of nowhere!"

Ichigo was livid as he grabbed Marechiyo by the collar and spat out, "How dare you turn this against me?! Why don't you tell them the truth, huh?! I was waiting outside Rukia's room for our scheduled lesson when I suddenly heard you shouting!"

"I-I swear I did not do anything! I swear!" Marechiyo squeaked as he waved his hands in front of him frantically, his eyes wide with fear as Ichigo continued to shake him.

"You _freaking _bastard!" Ichigo was about to give him a lesson enough to knock him for at least a week when Byakuya's voice made him stop.

"That's enough, Mr. Kurosaki." Although his words were intended to stop the orange haired man, Byakuya's gray eyes were focused on his sister's form. "Rukia," he spoke icily, making Rukia jump from her haunches and turn to him. "Tell me, what _really _happened?"

"I-I…" From her peripheral, Rukia could see Mr. Omaeda looking at her pleadingly. She wanted to tell the truth, yet she didn't want another person to suffer because of her. "Nothi—"

"Mr. Marechiyo Omaeda was trying to hurt Rukia, sir." Renji's words abruptly cut her from finishing her own sentence. Rukia's eyes widened as her head whipped around to face the red head beside her. _Renji, what the heck?! _"I can attest to that. If it wasn't for Mr. Kurosaki, Mr. Omaeda would have caused more damage than this."And to prove his point, he snatched Rukia's hand and showed to them the forming bruise on her wrist.

Byakuya's slate eyes narrowed. "Mr. Omaeda," He stared impassively at the man, "we've already discussed what repercussions would be made once something like this happened, correct?"

"S-Sir…"

Rukia quickly interjected, "Nii-sama, look I'm fine. I—"

But Byakuya wasn't listening. "I do not need to discuss them again with you, Mr. Omaeda. But for now, all I can confirm is that you are no longer Rukia's teacher starting today. We will discuss everything by tomorrow morning in my office. Now you are dismissed."

Marechiyo stood from his seat and bowed to Byakuya. He then threw Rukia a nasty glare before silently leaving the room as all three pairs of eyes followed his retreating figure.

"Nii-sama, what are you going to do to him?" Rukia asked, genuinely afraid for the man and his life. Byakuya could bend anything at his will. He wasn't the head of the Kuchiki clan for nothing!

"It is none of your concern, Rukia." Byakuya shifted in his seat and opened his drawer while pulling a manila envelope and sifting through its contents. "Mr. Kurosaki, as much as I appreciate your concern for my sister's safety, the manner in which you talk is still inappropriate."

Ichigo frowned. "I don't care. But from my own perspective, when a man hits a woman, then that's enough reason to punish him."

Violet eyes widening, Rukia felt lightheaded as his words sunk in. _Is he really concerned for me? _For the first time in her life, she felt genuinely happy.

Byakuya seemed to accept Ichigo's words as he forgone the matter. "Mr. Kurosaki, your profile states you were a History teacher in a notable public high school before. But aside from that, you were also an experienced teacher in different subjects such as Science, Geography, Math, Literature, and even English." He dropped the papers back onto the desk and continued, "Then, seeing as looking for another teacher would waste a lot of time, would you accept my offer if I am to tell you I'd like you to be Rukia's teacher in the subjects which Mr. Omaeda had taught previously? Of course, your salary and benefits would be increased."

Rukia glanced at Mr. Kurosaki while her heart did wild flips as she awaited for his answer.

"Well, seeing as this will surely side to my advantage…" He grinned. "…then how can I say no to such an offer, Mr. Kuchiki?"

Rukia swore her heart just leapt out from her chest.

-xXx-

Renji quietly closed the door behind him as he followed his friend. They were just ordered by Byakuya to leave the office so that he may discuss with Mr. Kurosaki his new contract. Just as they were turning to a corner, Renji finally built up enough courage and decided to break the silence. "Rukia."

The petite girl stopped in her tracks. Behind her, Renji stopped as well. "Renji, you know better than anyone else how much I want to avoid that." Her voice was low like a whisper.

Renji could not even find the guts to gaze at her small figure even if he was facing her back. His eyes glazed over as he tried to search for the right words. "I just want you to be safe, Rukia. You were trying to protect the man who wanted to hurt you! How… How can I just keep my mouth shut?"

Rukia faced him with livid eyes. "You know how much people have already suffered because of me, Renji! I made so many people suffer from being black-listed because of me! Cooks that could never cook; teachers that could never teach; maids that could never help their families—all because of me! I don't want any of those again, Renji!"

"It was all _their _fault, Rukia!" Renji retorted back as his hands balled into fists. "They tried to hurt you because they were too _envious _of what you have!"

"I never wished any of it, dammit!" she cried out exasperatedly.

"That's exactly the point!" Renji was inching closer and closer to her as he reached out and took a hold of her shoulders. "They're too envious because you have all these while they don't."

Rukia looked away as the red head stared straight into her eyes. "I had these without even laying a finger or breaking a sweat. Is that it, Renji?"

"Rukia…"

"Yes, I know. I know why those people envy me. I am nothing, and yet here I am in the Kuchiki mansion indulging myself with bliss. I was born a nobody, and yet I am a Kuchiki." She smiled sadly. "They don't think I deserve anything because I am _adopted. _They kill themselves with work just to earn money; they eat garbage just to live for a day; they sacrifice a lot in order to survive; and yet, here I am, a nobody, living like a princess."

"Rukia," Renji said softly. "They don't understand because they're not in your shoes. They don't know how hard it is to be you. But I know how strong you are. You're one hell of a fighter!" He laughed sheepishly, hoping it would somehow lighten the atmosphere.

"You know, sometimes I wish I can fly… so that I can run away from here and live my life the way I want."

"Rukia…"

"I'm being kept like a prisoner here. Nii-sama doesn't even want to show me in public because he's too ashamed of what I am."

Forlornly, Renji cut in. "Rukia, please don't think that way."

She smiled sadly in response.

Little did they know, hidden amongst the shadow, was a man listening intently at them.

-xXx-

_Run._

_Run. _

_Run._

_Ruuuuuuuuuuuun!_

_Rukia dashed forward as both of her feet pumped vigorously with speed. Her lungs were constricting from lack of oxygen, her feet were aching from running so long, and her heart was thumping wildly against her ribcage as it supplied more blood to sustain her system. Biting her lower lip, she gulped the lump in her throat and gathered enough courage to look back at the people chasing her._

"_Bitch! Come back here!"_

"_We're going to get you and throw you to a place where you really deserve to be!"_

"_Filth!"_

_Rukia forced the tears back as she continued running. Just as she saw a small light emerging from the shadows, she suddenly stopped in her tracks when somebody appeared in front of her. Her eyes widened._

"_Nii-sama!" she cried with hope, her fingers spreading outwards to grasp him. _

_But Byakuya just stood there impassively, his stare as cold as ice. Rukia felt all of her resolve breaking when he finally muttered, "You're nothing without me."_

"_W-what…?"_

"_I tried to stop him… but Father was adamant in having you. But now you can be gone forever in my life." As the last words escaped his lips, several hands clasped Rukia and engulfed her back into the darkness. Rukia continued to fight back but the monsters holding here were too strong. As black continued to eat her and nii-sama began to walk away far beyond her reach, Rukia could only scream in panic._

"_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"_

_He never looked back._

_Not even once._

Rukia shot up in bed, her whole body drenched in sweat. "That dream…" she murmured, her hands covering her face as fear wracked her body. "Again… I had that dream again."

* * *

**First of all I want to apologize for the lack of updates. After the board exam, I suddenly lost my muse. **

**Hn. Some nasty people, huh? Poor Rukia. I wonder what some of them tried to do to her that cost them their jobs?**

**I sensed a lot of angst in here. Most of you were not expecting that. Well, who wouldn't envy a nobody kid who has been adopted by one of the wealthiest men in the World for no apparent reason? Lol.**

**So I want to thank everyone who has read, faved, alerted, and reviewed my story so far.**

**Here are my replies to my lovely reviewers:**

**yagami rin: **Thank you very much! I don't think my writing is that great lol. I also think it's best to keep characters as close to their original natures as much as possible. I'll do my best in updating!

**AdilaRain: **Thanks for having interest! I hope you continue reading!

**xTwistedCupidx: **Oh she does have a temper lol. But she has a soft spot in her heart too, especially for a certain someone who has orange hair and amber eyes. *snickers* I hope my story continues to brighten your day.

**Cisusi: **Thank you very much! I'm happy you liked it. Been a long time since I last wrote something so I actually feel that my writing skills are getting rusty.

**ILoveSnakes: **Hey! You're welcome I actually had the Ikebana searched in the internet then I did a bit of self-understanding. The three stages can also mean Earth, Heaven, and Man but I used Sun and Moon because it describes the IchiRuki relationship better. I'll do my best in updating!

**Guest: **I wouldn't take your comment the wrong way. I'd like to view it as positive since it seemed like you were reading my other stories as well.

**avvrilstar: **I think this chap is sour! Lol.

**Thanks again everyone. Please don't forget to review.**


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